


Plumage

by midnightprelude, oftachancer



Series: Pour Forth Thy Soul In Ecstasy [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 21:15:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29267082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightprelude/pseuds/midnightprelude, https://archiveofourown.org/users/oftachancer/pseuds/oftachancer
Summary: By a stroke of luck and an excellent hand of cards, Dorian managed to convince Rilienus to let him pick out his wardrobe.
Relationships: Dorian Pavus/Rilienus
Series: Pour Forth Thy Soul In Ecstasy [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1794817





	Plumage

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of Scharoux's 14 Days of DA lovers on Tumblr and also a little snippet from our Pour Forth world. :)

## Dorian

The sun shone brightly through the high window to their chambers in the guest wing of the Royal Palace in Hunter Fell. He could hear woodlarks chirping merrily outside, welcoming the new day with their sweet songs. A bowl of fresh fruit and assorted pastries had been brought to their room just a few minutes before, the scones and biscuits still hot from the oven, with a steaming pot of tea to go with it.

And his beloved husband was standing before the floor-length mirrors, red-faced and positively _scowling_ at the assortment of buckles, straps, baubles, and startlingly mismatched layers of fabric that covered his person.

It was going to be a wonderful day indeed.

Dorian crossed the marble floor in slippered feet, wrapping his arms around Rilienus’ shoulders and kissing him gingerly on the cheek, trying to hide his smirk behind the man’s epaulets. Beautiful, grumpy and grumbling, looking like he might set the whole ensemble aflame while he was still in it, just to have the thing burn.

“ _You_ were the one who offered bets, _philomela mea_ ,” Dorian hummed, stroking the edge of Rilienus’ frown. “And I rather like your new set of feathers. It is, as you might say, rather _strapping_.”

“This is abhorrent,” Rilienus muttered. “I've never understood why you would want to dress like this.”

“It’s _brilliant_ ,” Dorian ran his thumb along one of the leather straps along his shoulder. Worth every sovereign, just for that grumble and grimace. “People cannot help but let their eyes linger. I know I can’t; I should’ve told Ferrea that you wanted to show more skin.”

“ _More_ skin?” Rilienus gaped at him. “They can see my ribs! Any more skin, and I’ll need to start charging. Do you recall it wasn’t that long ago that you chided me for being too eye catching for wearing full silks. Now you’ve got me trussed up like a pork roast.”

“That’s precisely the point,” Dorian chuckled, fingers walking up the ladder of his aforementioned ribs. “You wanted canapés. The price for being the one to munch on snacks at a ball where we need to gather intelligence is looking like a delectable distraction.” He hugged Rilienus from behind, whispering in his ear. “And you _are_ so very appealing, my darling rump roast. Perhaps we have time for-“

“Absolutely not.” Rilienus swatted at him. “It’s taken me an hour to get into this debacle. I’m not putting it on again today.” He pouted as he folded into Dorian’s arms. “If they don’t have the sad little mushroom cakes, I’m going to use these buckles to strangle someone.”

“Should I pay a visit to the kitchens?” Dorian quirked a brow, dragging his fingers through Rilienus’ curls. “Wouldn’t want any blood on your shiny new buckles, _amatus_.”

A smile flickered at the edges of his lips, polished away with sheer stubbornness. “Someday, _mon aube_ , you're going to get your comeuppance for this. I hope you’re prepared.”

“I am,” Dorian smirked, stepping between Rilienus and the mirror to draw him close. The tiniest hint of a smile that he knew suggested he was the only person in the world who could possibly convince Rilienus to wear this particular outfit in public. There was a sweet, tantalizing pleasure in being an exception. “Especially given how often my comeuppances involve fresh fruit and me being entirely unclothed, I think I should manage quite well.”

“Mangos suit your abdomen. Some things are meant to be.” Rilienus linked his arms around his waist. “Can you tell me something true, _maritus meus_?”

“Anything, my heart,” Dorian grinned, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. “What is it you wish to know?”

“These buckles and straps and cinches- before they became your strange obsession - were they meant to keep other people out, or yourself in?”

“Why must it be one or the other?” Dorian asked softly, studying the pools of moss that glimmered into his eyes. “Either way, I am very glad to have found someone I am both pleased to let my guard down around who also happens to be undeterred by such obstacles.”

“As am I,” Rilienus kissed him gently, watching him with a sudden, quiet intensity that sent warmth shuttling down his spine. “When we’re home and the work is done, I’m going to let you open all these buckles one by one.”

“I’ll need to make haste, then,” Dorian exhaled shakily, trailing his knuckle gently down the line of Rilienus’ exposed neck. “Are you _certain_ we can’t tarry here a while longer…? You wouldn’t even need to take everything off-“

“Dorian,” he chided, chuckling, tilting his head so that the line of his throat was exposed to Dorian’s touch. “I think I rather like being locked in and made to wait patiently for you to free me. Reminds me of old times.”

“See?” Dorian laughed, bumping his hip to Rilienus’. “I _knew_ you’d come around.”


End file.
